Joe Will: Arguably The Best Potential G.M. Nobody’s Heard Of

Even a passionate, hardcore hockey fan can be forgiven for not having the faintest clue who Joe Will is. The longtime San Jose Sharks executive has not exactly spent a lot of time in the spotlight, but that doesn’t mean he hasn’t been an integral part of the management of one of the best, most consistent teams in the National Hockey League.

“Integral” was actually the word that Sharks general manager Doug Wilson used to describe Will when he was promoted to assistant general manager this past fall.

For many years, Joe Will has been an integral part of everything we do in our hockey department,” said Wilson. “This change recognizes the tremendous amount of work he is responsible for in operating our hockey team. He is very deserving of this promotion and we are lucky to have him in our organization.

Will has been with the Sharks since the very beginning, joining the team as an expansion club after starting his career with the Minnesota North Stars. So what does he do, exactly? His official team bio gives us some hints – that Will is heavily involved in both the professional and amateur side of talent acquisition, that he tracks payroll and identifies undervalued players, and that whatever statistical measures the Sharks use, Will is heavily involved.

I first took note of Will after Vic Ferrari, founder of the pioneering Oilers blog Irreverent Oiler Fans, pointed to a business article that analyzed the Sharks’ ability to ice a competitive lineup for far less money than other teams. Joe Will went on at some length about the statistical research the club does, how they use their proprietary software to ensure the highest return on their financial investment.

Other Experience: Will has spent the last 21 years with the San Jose Sharks. Prior to that, he spent six seasons with the Minnesota North Stars in a variety of roles – he’s very much a guy that his worked his way up from the bottom.

What has this candidate done that makes him warrant consideration? I highly recommend reading the “On Thick Ice” article linked above. The San Jose Sharks have consistently been one of the best teams in the National Hockey League. Only once since the NHL lockout have they failed to advance to at least the second round of the playoffs. Their goal differential is a combine plus-275 since the lockout – and that’s not an accident, as the linked article highlights goal differential as one of their primary goals. Will has been involved in all of it, and given that the Sharks have been one of the most cost-effective teams in the league (with the Oilers one of the least) since the NHL lockout it seems fair to say that his approach is working well.

What are this candidate’s negatives? Some might consider the fact that he never played the game at a particularly high level to be a negative. Beyond that, simply the fact that he is an unknown: Joe Will has never managed an NHL team before.

Anything else worth noting? The things Will focuses on in the article – cost-effectiveness at the NHL level, scouring various leagues for talent, keying in on actual performance rather than big-name players, relying on objective data to narrow the field before leaning on subjective evaluations – these are things the Sharks have consistently done well. They’re also things the Oilers have consistently done poorly.

My personal take: The skills required of a modern general manager – finding value for money, as opposed to locating the best possible player, negotiating good contracts, identifying undervalued players and skills in players – are increasingly different from the skills associated with a long NHL career. That isn’t to say that both skillsets can’t be found in the same person, but if choosing between them the former is always more important for a manager than the latter. Joe Will is one candidate who seems to have a strong grasp on the things a G.M. needs to do to succeed under a salary cap.

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